by Adam Clark
***
Harvey gripped onto his bear mount's glossy hair tight, this was easily the scariest thing he'd ever done. On his behest, Indy had gone through the rules and the aim of the game several times with him, but even with these multiple explanations, he refused to believe such a sport existed, until now he was actually playing it.
Bear Explosion Ball was a cross between horse-riding, basketball and danger. Two teams of three bear-mounted players attempted to put a stick of dynamite in the other team’s net, in a very similar manner to basketball. The court was identical to a basketball court and the match started with a lit stick of dynamite being dropped through a hole in the ceiling into the centre of the court. The dynamite detonated either on a point being scored or when the thirty second long fuse ended, at which point the start process was repeated for fifty sticks of dynamite. The main difference between this and Basketball is that you could move while holding the dynamite in Bear Explosion Ball.
The point scoring for Bear Explosion Ball was simple, 1 point for a dunk, and 3 points for the dynamite being thrown in the net. This was because the bears they were riding were about 7 foot tall anyway, so everyone was at slam dunking height, and it’s much harder to throw accurately when trying to stay on top of an angry, moving bear.
Harvey was now riding a large brown grizzly bear called Claude, he had been sitting quite happily on the bench watching the action. That was until their extra team member, that the Baron had provided them with, exploded. Harvey had nervously climbed up on top of his bear, said a quick prayer, and entered for the last part of the match.
They had held off for quite a while by keeping the score level, and so far only one of the Baron's anonymous henchmen had been blown up. But now the clock was running down and the baron was up 3 points, and worst of all, gloating.
“Yeah suck these balls bitches!” he shouted from atop his might steed “Boom!” Making in-appropriate gestures to his own crotch. With 2 dynamite sticks left on the counter Indy called a time out.
“Huddle up guys!” standing in a tight circle Indy laid out their plan of action. “We need the three points to level at the least guys. Herstaff, take this next stick, sink it to level, I know you can do it! Then I’ll grab the next one, and do a safety dunk for the win. Harvey, stay up by the Baron’s net and give me support.” The bears they were riding grunted their approval. “Team beard of Zeus go!” They all put their hands in the middle of the circle and repeated the chant.
As the match restarted Herstaff grabbed the dynamite, passed across court to Indy. Herstaff's bear-mount charged down the outside and round Indy, just in time for him to grab the overhead pass that Indy threw to confuse the other team. Herstaff took a second to compose himself, leaned back and threw the dynamite. It sailed through the air gracefully, looking as if it was going to stay up there for ever. Eventually it came down with a swish through the net. Now they were level, with one dynamite left.
The Baron grabbed the final dynamite as it fell, just out of Indy’s grasp. He then faked left around Herstaff and charged towards the net for a slam dunk. Just in time Indy's bear smashed into the side of the Baron's, throwing him off balance in a mix of blood and fur. He dropped the dynamite and Indy swung down dangerously from the side of his bear and snatched it out of the air. Indy’s plan had not worked at all, so he had to think fast, looking down the court he saw Harvey, un-marked, two thirds of the way towards the opposite net.
“Harvey, Go!” he said as he threw it all the way down the court. Harvey managed to catch it clumsily with two hands, nearly falling off his mount in the process. As he looked up two of the Baron’s henchman were bearing down on him. He tugged at the bear’s left ear and the bear turned to face the goal net. He then tapped his heels on the bear’s flanks and they charged up the court.
The bear lumbered quickly towards the net, the two black bears almost within jaw-crushing distance of his rear. Harvey had a quick look at the fuse sticking up out of the stick he was holding and noticed it had almost burned down into the dynamite. He looked behind him and realised that there was no way they’d outrun the two bears chasing them, but they were so close. Harvey decided that they were going to win this match no matter what.
He managed to stand up with one foot on the bear’s head and the other on his back. Just as the closest black bear dug his claws into the hind of Harvey’s bear and pulled him down, Harvey jumped from the bear, both hands outstretched to the net. He flew through the air, like a man fired from a cannon. There was no audience for this impromptu match, but if there was, they would be on the edge of their seats, and they would all be gasping. Harvey’s hands just broke the air above the perimeter ring of the net when he dropped the dynamite and grabbed the metal ring as he fell.
As he hung from the net the Dynamite exploded on the on the floor below him. The imaginary crowd that was watching had sat completely silent on the edge of their chairs, but now they were all standing and cheering, the roar would’ve been deafening. But Harvey’s whoop of joy that it is was over and he was still alive, would’ve been heard even above the roar.
Herstaff and Indy grinned at each other and high-fived while the Baron and his steed came lumbering over to him.
“Well done lad, I thought you were the worst player I’d ever seen until you did that. Meet me in my office after we’ve all hit the showers.”
Harvey stepped gingerly back on to the bear as it stood under the net. By the time he’d turned around Herstaff and Indy were running off towards the showers together giggling.